Blue Morning
by Christie Redfield
Summary: SPOILER WARNING: 1x15. Tag for the episode Two Bodies in the Lab. After getting a clean bill of health, Booth is released from the hospital, and seeks out Brennan.


Disclaimer: Bones is © FOX and the show's creator Hart Hanson. No copyright infringement is intended whatsoever nor is any profit being made from this fanfic; i.e. it is purely non-profit.

Claimer: The only thing I own is this fanfic, nothing more, nothing less.

Spoilers: Two Bodies in the Lab.

Feedback: Love it, live for it, cherish it.

Category: Angst/Friendship

Rating: T – For language.

Time Setting: One week after the episode Two Bodies in the Lab.

_Author's Notes: Been awhile since I did any non-collaborative works, save for the Warehouse 13 drabbles I'm constantly revisiting, and so here am I, attempting to combat writer's block, wee! This is my first Bones fanfic, and will probably not be my last, or not, depending on how well this goes. _

_Brennan, rather I should probably say Bones (for some reason I automatically think of her as Brennan first and not Bones) I was a little wary about trying to write for, as she reminds me a bit heavily of Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation in that she's a walking, talking encyclopedia, but she has great difficulty grasping simple pop culture references. No offense to any fans, but that's just how I view her, I still think she's cool, and a cute character overall. :D Her I can be a duck! Reply to Booth's comment on getting all his ducks in a row in the Pilot still makes me giggle. _

_I'll be honest, whenever I saw previews for this show on FOX I'd always roll my eyes and wonder what is so great about this show, it's a crime show, but now it's suddenly a comedy? Eh? Eh I say! My buddy David, and fellow writing compadre recommended it to me, and I know we're both kinda picky when it comes what we think is good TV and what we think is bad TV and so I decided to go and give it a second chance. ZOMG I love it. So much in fact I forgot that the Season 1 DVDs are double sided and now I need go back and rewatch some episodes, never a bad thing as too much Bones though right? _

_Anyway, enough of my rambling, enjoy the fic!_

_~Christie_

Summary: SPOILER WARNING: 1x15. Tag for the episode Two Bodies in the Lab. After getting a clean bill of health, Booth is released from the hospital, and seeks out Brennan.

Blue Morning

By Christie Redfield

No sooner had Booth given a clean bill of health from the doctors he fled from the hospital like a literal bat out of Hell. He could barely stand to sit still any longer, cooped up in a hospital bed, even if it did mean all the vanilla pudding he could eat. He was still tired, and still sore but dammit all if he wasn't craving real food from Sid over at Wong Fu's. That man was sitting atop a gold mine he was certain of it. To this day Booth didn't know whether to be amazed or frightened at his friend's near psychic ability to just look at a person and know exactly what they wanted to eat, if there was anything he was sure of however it was that Sid was a damned good friend.

Booth grimaced slightly as he climbed into his car, his left arm still giving him considerable grief, if there was anything he wouldn't be missing it would be the arm sling, at least they were letting him go home, and at that thought Booth sighed miserably and rested his hand against his forehead.

In all honesty he wished they'd let him back on the job, even if it meant being planted behind a desk with a mountain of paperwork, but no the Bureau insisted he take a medical leave of absence. After the way things went down last week with Kenton, he wanted nothing more than to stick to Brennan's side like glue, just the mere memory of seeing her bound and gagged, those pretty clear blue eyes of hers wide with fright cut through him like a red-hot knife. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to let her go once he held her in his arms, ensuring her she was safe.

It was at that moment Booth realized just how much he missed his friend and his partner, even her usual replies of "I don't know what that means." His fingers tightened on the steering wheel of his car, the rain beating down outside, the skies illuminated with brief bright flashes of lightning.

Her visits were few and far between during his stay in Intensive Care, leading him to wonder if she was avoiding him, or the aftermath of their last case together, and burying herself in her work. Booth knew she wasn't a people person, but even he couldn't deny he felt himself growing closer to her, their partnership was beginning to feel more like a friendship, and the fact that she had asked him to look over her parents case spoke volumes to him. Was she afraid of letting someone get close, was that it?

Booth turned his car on; the sounds of Foreigner instantly filled the small, enclosed space. He smiled sadly in memory, remembering how he had coaxed Bones into dancing or rather rocking out with him to the classic hit _Hotblooded. _

Booth had never seen a more adorable and amusing sight in all his life as Doctor Temperance Brennan let loose and crooned along with him to the song's lyrics as he played air guitar, and she rocked out, giving him the impression they should be in some dingy moshpit, and not her apartment. And then, mere moments later that happy little carefree moment was shattered when he went to go get them both drinks, a flash of light and a blast of heat sending him flying to his back.

Shooting a glance at the car's radio, Booth noted the time. Brennan should be home, provided she wasn't at the Jeffersonian Institute, working those dainty, little fingers of hers to the bone. The woman's energy was limitless; he couldn't even begin to count the number of times he had come into the lab to find her hard at work, late into the night, attempting to ID the remains of hundred year old skeletons if she wasn't hard at work on a hot case. It was no wonder why her best friend and squint Angela Montenegro made it her personal mission to try and drag her out on Friday nights, Bones was a workaholic.

And as far as her social life was concerned…

Shifting the car into drive, Booth cranked up the radio, and pulled out onto the roads. He had to see her; he had to know she was ok, even if it meant running into _him_ again, but most of all he had to know she was ok, his whole week felt off just not seeing her, like he was not yet completely whole himself, not yet fully healed.

Roughly an hour later, Booth found himself parked outside Brennan's apartment complex, a steaming bag of takeout from Wong Fu's in the passenger seat next to him. His dark, chocolate brown eyes shifted from the takeout bag and back again to Brennan's building. What if this was a bad idea, what if she wasn't home, what if she was with that guy, worse yet what if he was helping her satisfy her biological urges—

Palming his face in his hand, Booth blew out a heavy sigh, he didn't even want to delve into that thought process, innocent man or not, he just flat-out did not like the guy period, no matter how good-looking Brennan apparently thought he was. But even still, she deserved to be happy, right?

"Oh to Hell with it," Booth mumbled as he killed the car's engine, and grabbed the bag of takeout and promptly exited from his car, locking the doors behind him.

Each step was brutalizing agony, and it was only until he was face-to-face with her door buzzer, that he realized there was no turning back. After the third buzz, Booth was ready to concede defeat, but then…

"David?"

Booth's heart nearly dropped like a stone, and he only spoke finally after he regained his voice, several moments later. "No, guess again." He replied, as he smiled grimly.

"Booth? What's going on? Why didn't you call me? Do we have a case?" Booth smiled slightly at her response. Typical Bones, always ready to jump headfirst into work.

"No, I just happened to be in the neighborhood." He lied. _"Oh, good answer Seeley, good answer." _He snidely thought to himself, before he quickly formulated another reply. "Listen Bones, if this is a bad time, I…" He started lamely, only to hear Brennan's voice drift out through the speaker moments later.

"I did have plans for the night, but they got rescheduled…" She replied, her tone halfhearted. The stone that was his heart felt suddenly more like lead, sinking deeper inside his chest. One half of him was whooping and cheering, while the other half was gritting its teeth and growling. Had that rat bastard stood her up? Again? Booth found himself wordless, at a loss as to what to say, let alone how to think, how to act. Brennan's voice drew him out of silent contemplation, her voice once more drifting out of the speaker.

"Booth? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here…"

"Did you want to come up?"

"If it's not any bother…" He started, suddenly regretting he neglected to grab his umbrella, he could stand out here all day in the rain, if it meant just being able to talk to Brennan.

"I don't know what that means," Booth smiled, by and the far the sweetest words he ever heard in his entire life. "I'll buzz you in." Moments later, Booth heard the sound of the door being buzzed open and he stepped inside, his short, dark spiky hair now damp from the rain.

Booth walked over to the elevator, and pressed the up button, as he very carefully held the bag of takeout in his good hand. Once the doors slipped open, Booth stepped inside and hit the button for the fifth floor. He had been reluctant about coming to see Brennan, let alone with a bag of takeout in tow, had she not been home he'd likely have gone straight home, and the bag straight into his fridge.

The elevator doors dinged open, and Booth grimaced as he heard his sneakers squeak out in retort, the minute his feet hit the hardwood. Cripes he really had been out in the rain longer than he had thought. As Brennan answered her door, Booth managed a sheepish smile as he held up the bag of takeout food, "Actually, I lied, I figured you might be off and I wanted to surprise you with takeout from Wong Fu's."

"How did you know I wasn't out with David?"

"I didn't, that's the whole point behind the idea of surprise."

Brennan offered no reply, and only crinkled her brow.

"You, you're not surprised are you?" Asked Booth, the question more a comment than anything else.

"I am surprised; I had no idea Wong Fu's catered carryout,"

"Takeout Bones, takeout." Booth corrected her.

Brennan shrugged and stepped aside, promptly taking the bag from her partner, which she opened as she walked in the direction of the kitchen, Booth in tow behind her. She looked up as he stopped short, and bumped into her from behind, Brennan jumped, remarking, "Booth!" in annoyance.

"Sorry," Booth replied quickly, attempting to move to rid himself of his black leather jacket, which he found he had greater difficult in removing then he had in throwing it on over his shoulders earlier. Brennan shook her head, and moved to assist him, it was then she noticed his face, neck, and hair were all damp and she sighed in exasperation and shock.

"How long have you been standing outside? Were you attempting to give yourself influenza?" She asked as her hands grasped the collar of his jacket from behind, and Booth nearly jumped, before he moved to attempt rid himself of his jacket without her assistance.

"Hey, hey I got it!"

"Influenza?" Frowned Brennan, "No human being has ever…" She started as she moved in again.

"No I meant my jacket, but if you insist." He sighed, giving into defeat.

Booth cast a glance around the kitchen and grimaced slightly as he spied a freshly painted section of the wall that once housed the refrigerator that nearly took his life, in its place now stood a much smaller dormitory sized mini-fridge. He turned his head in Brennan's direction as she laid his jacket over one of the chair backs.

"Hope that's not your permanent replacement, awfully small."

Brennan shook her head, "No it's only temporary, until I find something more suitable."

"I was only joking Bones." _"Oh no, now you've really gone and stepped in it Seeley."_

"Joking? Joking!" Brennan stood toe-to-toe with her much larger, and stronger partner, jabbing a finger at chest as she continued on, her actions caused Booth to stumble backwards, until his back came into contact with the wall.

"Bones…," He started lamely as held up his good hand in a placating gesture, but Brennan was far from finished, and he ducked back as she continued to lecture him, shit she was pissed.

"How can you joke about my refrigerator after what happened! I watched you get blown up! I should have been the one in that hospital bed! Not you! That bomb was intended for me! I should have gone for the drinks myself, and if I had, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt! It would've been me instead, like it should've been! Not you!"

Brennan choked back a sob, as her curled up fist made contact with his chest and she fell against him numbly. "I should've listened, if I had, then you never would've had to protect me, have to worry about keeping me safe…if I had…"

Booth used his good hand to cup Brennan's cheek in his hand and he tilted her face up, so that they were seeing eyelevel with one another, the sight of those pretty blue eyes of hers filled with tears ate at his heart, he hated to see her cry, and it ate him up inside knowing he was the cause of those tears.

"Bones…stop. What happened, happened just let it go…,"

"I can't let it go!" She retorted, her voice angered, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'm here! And I'm not going anywhere else! I promise."

Brennan chewed at the inside of her lip as she mustered every last ounce of her willpower not to fall to pieces in front of her partner, and at current she found she was on the verge of losing that battle. "The very notion that you could make such a promise let alone fulfill is highly improbable, especially given your line of work…"

"Well, _I am _making it, and _I am _promising you that I will keep it." Booth stated firmly, before he then added, "…but most of all, _I am _also promising you that I will do whatever _I can _in _my power_, to keep you safe, and that includes throwing my own ass on the line, whether you like it or not."

"Booth…," Brennan's lip trembled as she looked up at him, and blinked her eyes, the simple reflex caused her tears to tumble free, and rolled down her cheeks onto Booth's thumb. Booth wrapped his good arm around her shoulders and hugged Brennan close as her arms came around him, his grip tightened as she fought to choke back a sob, and he rested his cheek against her hair, and spoke softly and soothingly as his hand gently rubbed her back, not caring that his ribs roared out in pain as she pulled him closer.

He meant it, every last word, and he didn't know how but someway, somehow he knew deep down inside she would do the very same for him. They were partners, and they would watch each other's backs until the very end, no matter what they faced.

~FIN

_Author's Notes: Roughly 90% of my entries wind up as one-shots, but hey never know, I am pondering doing a take on Brennan's reaction and how she was coping after the events of this episode, but I don't know yet. Either way I hope everyone enjoyed my first foray into the Bones fandom. ;)_

_~Christie_


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